Incident Overview
An airliner experienced fumes and smoke in the cabin after powering back from the gate. The aircraft was approximately 200 feet from the jetway when the captain initiated an emergency evacuation. The airplane was not damaged, and 8 of the 89 passengers sustained minor injuries during the evacuation.
Evacuation and Slide Deployment
During the emergency evacuation, the tailcone slide deployed but did not automatically inflate. An off-duty flight attendant reported that she attempted to manually inflate the slide but could not locate the red manual inflation handle on the slide's girt. She observed a small metal ring near where the red manual inflation handle should have been located and tried unsuccessfully to inflate the slide numerous times by pulling on that ring. Subsequently, she blocked the tailcone exit and directed passengers to other exits.
Investigation Findings
The investigation revealed an improperly rigged cable assembly due to improper maintenance of the tailcone evacuation system by the airline. Additionally, other slides were found with similar problems.
Manufacturer and Regulatory Actions
The slide manufacturer, Air Cruisers, had issued a service bulletin (SB) to address the problem. On May 10, 2004, the Safety Board issued two recommendations (A-04-42 and -43) to the FAA: to expeditiously issue an airworthiness directive requiring operators to implement the SB on an accelerated schedule, and to require operators of airplanes with affected slides that had been improperly modified (including those with a manual inflation cable handle using a key ring) to reinstall new, unmodified inflation cables at the next scheduled maintenance opportunity.